STORY BY RACHEL LEE-THOMAS
Year after year, art students transform the infamous art wall located next to Sheridan’s Trafalgar campus library. But, in recent years, that same wall has sparked controversy.
“Usually the wall is for art students, but there are no set rules for people in other programs,” said first-year art student Gabby Oduro. “This year there is some good art on the wall, but from what I have heard in previous years there have been times when trashy art is drawn.”
At the beginning of the year, the wall is repainted white and students can create a new art wall with the new school year. Students paint and draw everything from cartoon characters, portraits, and graffiti throws ups.
“I would really love to see the entire hallways covered in art,” said first-year photography student Wes Mukowski. “There are so many walls that are blank, and being an art school I think there should be art displayed as much as we can.”
Once a few pieces of art make it to the wall, it isn’t long before every single space has been covered. That’s when things become controversial.
“I’ve actually been working on covering up some of the obscenity,” Oduro said, showing her piece. “Last year, all the art was vandalized with Shrek ears.”
As fun and engaging as the art wall is, some anonymous contributors destroy original art with crude remarks and obscene images.
“As sad as it is that the art wall becomes vandalized, each artist that contributes to it keeps in mind that it is not a permanent medium,” said Meghan Dunn, Sheridan student. “It’s like sculpting in ice, as much effort as you put into it, you know eventually it will melt away.”
Dunn painted a portrait of the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali, featuring his iconic moustache.
A few months into the semester, the art wall was hit with a moustache vandal who may have been influenced by the fact that Dunn’s piece had covered earlier works. Moustaches were spray painted onto several original artworks, using the same style and paint.
It was reminiscent of last year’s Shrek ears incident.
“It seems to be all the same person but I don’t think it’s related to the Shrek ears,” Mukowski said. “It’s the same black spray paint here as the moustaches.”
Some students feel that if the art wall were monitored, vandalism would decrease. A sign was posted at the beginning of the semester encouraging students to post the art but keep it classy, but it was removed shortly after.
“Everyone deserves to be on the art wall whether you are drawing cartoons or doing graffiti,” Mukowski explained. “But it’s unfortunate that it has to become so controversial.”
